THE FLORA OF THE NORTHERN TERRITORY. 33 



Before seeding forms a good leafy pasture. Of no value for stock after 

 flowering. 



Recorded. Between Norman and Gilbert Rivers, Gulliver'; in the in- 

 terior of Arnhem's Land, M'DouaU Stuart. 



13. SETOSA, EwART. 



Spikelets two- flowered, one terminal hermaphrodite flower with a male 

 one below it. 



Glumes unawned, but a long straight awn arises laterally from the pedicel 

 of spikelet, close to the articulation of the latter with the main axis. Outer 

 glumes three of unequal size, lowest being very small and scale like, middle one 

 long, while third is smaller than latter and functions as the flowering glume 

 of male flower. Stamens of hermaphrodite flower have broad filaments and 

 small- functionless anthers. Grain is enclosed by hardened pale and flowering 

 glume, but is free from them. Hilum is rounded. 



Setosa erecta, Ewart and Cookson. (Plate II.) 



A harsh, stiff grass, about 2 ft. high, erect stems arising from a glabrous, 

 horizontal, rhizome. Nodes sHghtly hairy, leaves and stem glabrous. 



Leaves linear, blades short, decreasing in length as the^' approach top of 

 stem, and ending in a bluntly rounded point. 



Inflorescence a spike-hke raceme 3 to 4 in. long, spikelets borne on a 

 triangular-shaped pedicel, which is attached laterally to a much- flattened, 

 curved and unsegmented axis. 



Spikelets 6 to 7 hues long, flattened dorso-ventrally, two- flowered, upper 

 terminal flower hemaphrodite, a male one below it. A long awn, scabrous, with 

 short stiff points, arises laterally from the pedicel close to the articulation of 

 latter with main axis. Pedicel is slightly hairy. 



Outer glumes three, unawned, scabrous, with extremely small pointed 

 hairs interspersed with a few longer rigid ones, one of the three functioning as 

 flowering glume to the male flower. Lowest outer glume is very minute, 

 colourless, scale-like and deciduous. Middle outer glume large, 4 to 5 lines 

 long ; leathery, 9- 11 -nerved and ending in a blunt tip. 



Male flower. Flowering glume is smaller than large outer glume, 3.5 to 

 4 Unes long, but of same texture with 7 to 11 nerves. Palea as long as the flower- 

 ing glume, thin and papery, enclosing three stamens, two large lodicules. 



Hermaphrodite flower smaller than male flower, about 2 lines long.' Both 

 flowering glume and palea are thin and hyaline, palea being enclosed by the flower- 

 ing glume. Lodicules two, large. Stamens three, with broad flat filaments, 

 small anthers, as long as broad with sagittate base and apex. These stamens 

 seem to be degenerating, the function of pollen production being transferred to 

 the stamens of male flower. Styles distinct, sharply curved at the base of 

 two large feathery stigmas. Grain elongated, enclosed in hardened palea and 

 flowering glume, but free from them. HUum rounded. 



Plant seems weU adapted to xerophilous conditions. In section of 

 rhizome a thick, complete band of sclerenchyma is seen, in. which the outer 

 ring of vascular bundles is embedded. 



The leaf is covered on upper surface by a thick cuticle, which is raised into 

 little finger-hke projections. Sclerenchyma is also present over each bundle. 



Relationships. — Systematic position of this grass is doubtful. In the 

 presence of three outer glumes, of which the third serves as flowering glume of 

 male flower, and in the nature of the inflorescence it resembles Neurachne 

 among the Zoysese. The first small glume would indicate a relationship to the 

 Tristeginese, but here all the flowers are hermaphrodite. 



